Part 3.
FOUR days passed on, in the manner I have described. The loving father spending the greater part of his time in searching for his lost child, and the poor frightened little creature in the wood, creeping out tremblingly each day for food and water, and cowering down in the hole in the big tree all the rest of her time, imagining the voices she heard those of the dreaded Indians. Jesus is calling you, too, my child; listen to His voice! Sometimes His call comes in the shape of sorrow and disappointment, but He only sends these to draw you away from the vanities of this evil world, and to bring you to Himself. In the parable of the Good Shepherd in Luke 15, we read that the Shepherd looked and searched for His sheep until He found it. Oh, what wonderful love—love that many waters cannot quench—love that led the Shepherd to give up “His life for the sheep.”
Ellen’s father, much as he loved his child, was not called to give up his life for her. After four days of sorrowful, heart-breaking seeking, he spied through an opening in the trees, a little figure darting along, and disappearing suddenly. Then each tree was carefully searched, and in a short time, the lost darling was found in the big butternut tree. How can I describe the joy of that father’s heart? How can I tell you of the delight of the heart broken mother! Or of how all the neighbors gathered round to rejoice over the long-lost child; weak and thin, and even unable to speak from fear, but found. What a joy there is in that word, “Rejoice with Me,” says the Good Shepherd, “for I have found My sheep,” Are you going to give Him that joy? Are you going to let Him find you, and lay you upon His shoulders, rejoicing? Or are you going to hide away from Him, like little Ellen? Well my story is nearly ended now, only I am sure you will be interested to hear that after a time the sound of the ax was heard in the dim forest, and the huge butternut tree was brought to the ground; but not to be used for any common purpose—it was made into a handsome table which is still treasured up in the family.
ML 11/04/1906